# Whole plaine parachute saves aircraft **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 3, 2020, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416 "2020-02-03T07:05:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/1 "2020-02-03T07:05:35Z")
According to the article the system has saved 422 lives so far: > **[Deep snow, steep slope complicated plane-crash rescue near Aspen](https://www.aspentimes.com/news/deep-snow-steep-slope-complicated-plane-crash-rescue-near-aspen/)** > > By the time Mountain Rescue volunteers made it within a half-mile of a small plane crash Monday evening near Lenado, it was pitch dark, snowing heavily and the wind Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/2 "2020-02-03T09:21:47Z")
This is not entirely uncommon for some modern aircraft to have built-in rocket-launched whole-airplane parachutes. One example is the [Flight Design CT](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flight_Design_CT) series of light sport aircraft. From the Wiki page: > [@](#): > > Although the standard and required equipment varies by country, the CTSW has a standard Ballistic Recovery Systems parachute for the airframe. The BRS can be used to lower the entire aircraft to the ground in a controlled descent in the event of major structural failure, incapacitation of the pilot, or engine failure over mountainous terrain. Some sailplanes also come equipped with a rocket-launched built-in whole-plane parachute. The [Pipistrel Taurus](https://www.pipistrel-usa.com/taurus/) is one example: > [@](#): > > The Taurus comes equipped with a rocket charged parachute rescue system which is fired out of the fuselage in case of extreme emergency. The parachute opens instantly and the aircraft slowly descends to the ground without the pilots leaving their seats. Furthermore, the aircraft is not additionally damaged by use of rescue system; the cabin and pilots remain completely intact. [Here’s a CNN video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG4nIeyaoek) (about 3 minutes 50 seconds) by a Cirrus pilot who collided with a glider tow rope. The built-in parachute saved his bacon. (No mention what happened to the glider :smack: ) And yes, some flight simulators incorporate these kinds of parachutes, so you can practice getting your bacon saved with them. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/3 "2020-02-03T11:23:34Z")
Kudos to everyone involved in that difficult rescue. And those parachutes are a great idea! ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/4 "2020-02-03T12:53:12Z")
> [@mixdenny](#): > > According to the article the system has saved 422 lives so far: > > [https://www.aspentimes.com/news/deep-snow-steep-slope-complicated-plane-crash-rescue-near-aspen/](https://www.aspentimes.com/news/deep-snow-steep-slope-complicated-plane-crash-rescue-near-aspen/) > > Dennis Cool that it’s saving lives, but ISTR that the system wrecks the aircraft itself when deployed. Can anyone confirm whether that’s the case? ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/5 "2020-02-03T12:55:42Z")
I need an engineer or flight expert to tell me how big a “whole plane parachute” would have to be to save a commercial airliner. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/6 "2020-02-03T12:58:23Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Cool that it’s saving lives, but ISTR that the system wrecks the aircraft itself when deployed. Whereas aircraft colliding with the ground at ~100kts vertical speed tend to be OK? 🙂 I’m only teasing, not being snarky - I guess your point is that having this system installed could lead to deploying it too early, rather than attempting to recover the aircraft in a more conventional manner that could result in less damage? Even so, I doubt anyone has used this system and regretted doing so. It’s equally possible that I’ve missed the point entirely - I’m not an aviator myself, but enjoy reading the contributions of those who are. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/7 "2020-02-03T13:57:14Z")
> [@Jasmine](#): > > I need an engineer or flight expert to tell me how big a “whole plane parachute” would have to be to save a commercial airliner. At the speeds a commercial airliner flies it would impossible to deploy a parachute successfully with current technology, let alone one the size needed to bring the plane down safely. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/8 "2020-02-03T13:59:02Z")
> [@Dead\_Cat](#): > > Whereas aircraft colliding with the ground at ~100kts vertical speed tend to be OK? 🙂 > > I’m only teasing, not being snarky - I guess your point is that having this system installed could lead to deploying it too early, rather than attempting to recover the aircraft in a more conventional manner that could result in less damage? Even so, I doubt anyone has used this system and regretted doing so. No particular point, other than that the title of this thread is “Whole plaine parachute saves aircraft”, which struck me as possibly inaccurate. Actually I wonder how often such a system _could have_ saved lives if a penny-pinching pilot would have deployed it in a timely fashion instead of trying to save the aircraft. It’s a bit like trying to salvage a crummy landing approach instead of giving up and going around again; pilots occasionally do the former when they should do the latter. (The best counterexample to this is USAirways 1549, in which Sully coldly accepted that he couldn’t possibly reach Teterboro and was instead going to have to destroy an expensive aircraft - by ditching in the Hudson - in order to save everyone aboard.) FWIW, the deployment of airbags in a car also results in very large costs, but few people complain when injuries are averted because of them. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/9 "2020-02-03T14:40:55Z")
Indeed. I recently read of another counterexample, where an airliner crew became confused about deployment of the spoilers on landing and basically dropped 60 feet straight onto the runway. They attempted a go-around, but hadn’t realised the impact had badly damaged one of the four engines, which then exploded and basically blew the wing off. Had they continued with the landing, I suspect the number of survivors would have been significantly higher. Here is the wiki: [Air Canada Flight 621](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air_Canada_Flight_621) ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/10 "2020-02-03T17:19:32Z")
Here is the company information on the parachute system: > **[About Cirrus](https://cirrusaircraft.com/about/)** PS - I have no idea what I was going for with the “plaine” in the title. It was late. Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/11 "2020-02-03T17:32:25Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Cool that it’s saving lives, but ISTR that the system wrecks the aircraft itself when deployed. Can anyone confirm whether that’s the case? For the Cirrus system, it’s not an automatic write off as I understand, it, but still that’s a likely outcome. Even with the parachute fully deployed, the impact is the same as if the aircraft were dropped from 15 feet. The landing gear and mounting points are designed to crush like a crumple zone on a modern car. And remember, once the parachute is deployed, the aircraft is going to come down wherever that happens to be. Into trees, onto rough ground, onto a building, etc. The photos I found on Google mostly do not look like airplanes that are gonna fly again. [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BnP8-rkCAAAIOPv.jpg) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BnP8-rkCAAAIOPv.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/12 "2020-02-03T19:20:35Z")
Yes, the plane will probably be severely damaged. But if the pilot/passengers had their own parachutes and were able to bail out, the plane would be also destroyed. Insurance can buy a new plane. Not so much a human life. They are designed to be difficult to deploy inadvertently. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2020, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whole-plaine-parachute-saves-aircraft/847416/13 "2020-02-03T21:53:41Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Cool that it’s saving lives, but ISTR that the system wrecks the aircraft itself when deployed. Can anyone confirm whether that’s the case? Yep, pretty much. I say that based on both a couple acquaintances who had need of one and used it, and also the instruction manuals that come with the BRS. You have a reasonable chance of a survivable landing (although injuries, some severe, can occur and maybe we won’t bring up that incident where the plane was on fire as well as under the 'chute and those on board did not survive to reach the ground…) but don’t expect to have a usable aircraft afterward. It might be _possible_ to repair and reuse the airframe but don’t count on it. Since you’re not supposed to pull the Big Red Handle (yes, it really is red) unless you’re in a situation where the alternative is a high risk of death that maybe isn’t a big concern for those who need/use the system. Save the skin, not the tin.